MADISON, Wis. — With health care premiums set to more than double for working families, Derrick Van Orden has dismissed continued funding as “partisan demands” while Tom Tiffany directed Republican colleagues to “hold firm” in their position that will raise health care costs for Wisconsinites. Republicans have fought against affordable health care at every turn, and this deal rips away the critical ACA funding Wisconsinites rely on.
“Derrick Van Orden and Tom Tiffany are clear on their priorities—cut health care for everyday people to pay for over a trillion dollars in tax breaks for billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Communications Director Philip Shulman. “Make no mistake—Wisconsin Republicans voted to take away ACA funding, will do so again in December, and Wisconsinites will suffer for it.”
Additionally, almost half of all people with ACA coverage are small business owners, employees or self-employed. Without these tax credits, business owners will be unable to provide coverage for employees and face staffing shortages because people simply will not be able to work for small businesses. Tiffany has long looked for an angle to walk back the Affordable Care Act and Van Orden’s campaign website once called for “the last vestiges of the disastrous Obamacare” to be removed. Republicans will use this opportunity to raise the cost of living for working Wisconsinites.
See below for quick facts and a more detailed breakdown of how ACA premium increases will impact different counties and age groups:
- If premiums increase, over 277,000 Wisconsinites could face higher health care costs, leaving many families struggling to afford other essential expenses.
- Republicans already jeopardized health care for 276,175 Wisconsinites when they passed the Big Ugly Bill in July. Now, these new premium hikes will only make it harder for working families to get the care they need.
- The vast majority — 71% — of Americans oppose cuts to Medicaid.
- Over half — 55% — of Republicans oppose these cuts.
- 73% of Independents oppose these cuts as well.
- Republicans know how unpopular their health care crisis is – that’s why, behind closed doors, congressional Republicans privately admit their cuts to health care are a major vulnerability.
